Friday, January 28, 2011

Though I missed the first hour of sunlight in my observations of a Bald Eagle nest this week, I would spend the remainder of the day making observations of the species' behavior.

The Common Ground Dove above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

At my approach to the nest area, I couldn't help but notice a pair of Black Vultures in the Australian Pines when an unnoticed vulture directly in front of me took flight leaving behind its meal of a well decomposed Armadillo.

Throughout the day I made the mistake of periodically reviewing an image taken to ensure proper exposure which resulted in the images discombobulated when uploaded to the computer.

The Osprey above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

Both Nikon and Canon cameras do this if you don't ensure that the last image reviewed in the camera is the last one taken.

The immediate neighborhood of the Bald Eagle nest location at Big Carlos Pass near Fort Myers Beach offered 23 species of bird seen, mainly flying overhead throughout the day.

The Black Vulture above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The behavior of the Bald Eagles was very interesting to observe to get an insight into their daily routine.

Upon my arrival near the nest location, I would find two adult eagles supervising the nest.

The Armadillo carcass above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

I would lose sight of one of the birds that would fly off and disappear for different lengths of time.

That eagle would prove to be close by on a few occasions when the remaining bird would take flight briefly to have its mate return with it to the nest area.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

One of the Bald Eagles is banded on its right leg as evidenced through a very fortunate image taken of it with the designation "BAND 862" engraved in the metal and seen only through a very heavy crop.

The banded eagle is the one that would often remain closer to the nest.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

I suspect that these Bald Eagles are the same pair observed nesting near Fort Myers Beach two years ago.

These are certainly not the eagles that can be seen at Bunche Beach Preserve to the north.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

This makes me wonder the range that the birds have and where the juveniles go when they mature as a large territory miles in diameter will not have more than a pair of adult eagles seen.

This contrasts greatly with the Osprey which may nest within a few hundred feet of each other.

The Pileated Woodpecker above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

I suspect that the Bald Eagles observed this week control the entire habitat of Lovers Key State Park and at least the south end of Fort Myers Beach.

As I patiently waited in observation of the nest for the adult birds to occupy it together, they failed to do so.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The eagle without a band brought a fish to the nest in the morning while its mate brought a fish shortly before sunset.

It wasn't until near midday that I learned that there was an eagle juvenile in the nest.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

I had anticipated the possibility of copulation behavior, but that clearly takes place in November to early December judging from the size of the offspring observed.

The juvenile eagle was evidently well fed as it relieved itself twice in the hours ahead.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

It was difficult to determine if there was a sibling with it as the view of the nest was quite restricted.

At one point, I was surprised that both eagles were soaring high overhead at a height I would speculate to be 350 hundred feet.

The Red-shouldered Hawk above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

It was at this time that an Osprey entered the scene to seemingly take advantage of the absence of supervision of the eagle's nest.

The action unfolded in an instant where one of the Bald Eagles was on the tail of the Osprey.

The Osprey above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

In the next seconds I observed the other eagle dive at incredible speed to defend its territory as well.

The eagle's pursuit of the Osprey was done at such an astonishing speed that its flight could be heard even without the bird flapping its wings.

The Bald Eagle juvenile above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

Typically in my observations, Bald Eagle or Osprey flight may only be audible when the birds have their wings flapping and are unusually close.

When the first eagle was in pursuit of the Osprey just below the tree tops and parallel to the ground, I speculate the speed at 60 miles per hour or more.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

It was intensely exhilarating to observe the action while noting the eagle appears to have a very similar wing position as the Osprey in its dive.

The top speed of a diving Bald Eagle (behavior that should not be expected to be seen) is documented in excess of 100 miles per hour.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

It was the late afternoon arrival at the nest by one of the adults with prey that offered the most stunning observation.

I was quite sure that the eagle had a fish in its talons, but then would question the possibility of something else.

The Mourning Dove above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The eagle diligently fed its offspring bits and pieces.

I was confident the adult Bald Eagle was dismembering a fish as the larger pieces including what appeared to be a tail fin were eaten by the adult.

The Raccoon carcass above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The juvenile was too large to consider that the other had not yet hatched.

The juvenile was then fed a meal that resulted in feathers seen drifting away in the breeze.

The Bald Eagle juvenile above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

Shortly after the arrival of the adult Bald Eagle at the nest that would last nearly 29 minutes, it was extremely haunting when I heard a chorus of dove song from all directions as sunset approached.

The observation of the sole juvenile Bald Eagle in the nest has me speculate that its sibling might have been consumed at this time.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

With feathers flying from the nest, the adult eagle consumed what was clearly the leg of a fairly large bird.

Man-made sounds whether they be from boats, planes, power equipment, or the horn of the bridge tender in action are a constant drone at the nest in an otherwise incredibly silent place.

The Northern Cardinal above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The call of a variety of different species of bird was heard throughout the day more often than they were seen.

A follow-up trip to the nest the next day was made to observe the Bald Eagle behavior in predawn light and for several hours thereafter.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The adult eagles were again seen perched in the vicinity of the nest.

The juvenile would prove itself to be a solitary individual in the nest while the parents would continue to attentively supervise it.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The eagle's nest observed this season showed no evidence of seaweed in its construction, a characteristic of Bald Eagles and Ospreys, as noted by David Sibley in his guide to bird life and behavior.

An Osprey's collection of seaweed for nest construction was observed first hand at the J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in mid January.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

A Bald Eagle's nest in the same vicinity at Big Carlos Pass observed near the end of the 2008 breeding season had inexplicably fallen.

A website sponsored by the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation notes that a Bald Eagle nest has been recorded to have a weight of two tons with record dimensions of 20 feet tall by 10 feet wide as it's built upon each season.

The Blue-headed Vireo above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

Avian authority David Sibley notes that an eagle nest may collapse under its own weight and perhaps due to the growing juveniles.

The Bald Eagle nest which I observed in 2008 exists now only in photographs.

The Osprey with Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

There was no hurricane activity in Florida in 2008 that would cause the much smaller nest to collapse.

Future high wind events could potentially bring down not only the nests, but the prolific Australian Pine trees themselves that Ospreys and Bald Eagles prefer to build nests upon in this area.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The Australian Pine is considered an invasive species and is attempted to be eradicated through management of local parks and surrounding areas.

A contentious behavior between the Bald Eagle and Osprey continued in my further observation of the species.

The Bald Eagle with Osprey above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

Inexplicably, one of the Bald Eagles would leave its nest area to strafe the Osprey nests and engage an Osprey in an impressive aerial display.

It was quite remarkable to observe this behavior where either species can appear to have the upper hand at a given moment in time.

The Raccoon carcass above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

The story heard this week of an in flight theft of a fish from the talons of the Osprey by a Bald Eagle clearly places the birds in their pecking order.

The Osprey occasionally appears not to know its place and will attempt to turn the tables.

The Mourning Dove above was photographed at Lovers Key State Park at Big Carlos Pass in January 2011.

My observation of the Blue-headed Vireo was a first sighting of the species in excess of three years of diligent Florida wildlife study and photography.

He replied that it was "martini time" as he was making a bee line for the Tiki Hut.

It is always tempting on afternoon visits to Estero Lagoon to walk south along the beach to the cut the tidal forces from the Gulf of Mexico has made in the beach for the vital regeneration of the south lagoon where the wading birds will congregate for easy pickings.

The Ring-billed Gull above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

I chose to stay at the north lagoon where something interesting always seems to happen as well.

An accommodating Yellow-crowned Night-Heron was a surprise at the spot I settled down at as on previous visits to the lagoon I typically see the species closer to the Holiday Inn and never before on the far side of the lagoon unlike this week.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

If you've never had the experience, Florida wading birds in particular may allow you surprisingly close to them while I recommend you simply allow them to come to you.

There were regrettably no successful flight shot opportunities this week although it was with great interest of mine to devote the time to observe the behavior of the Yellow-crowned Night-Heron again.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

The species will stalk its prey, always for small crabs in my observations, with almost motionless behavior until the time of the strike.

Once the bird has its attention focused, it will seemingly not be deterred until it gets its meal.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

The species often appears oblivious to its surroundings although was distracted with a cracked branch under my feet on one occasion when I wasn't so careful.

This week's visit to the lagoon was with the intent to experiment with a high ISO equivalent setting of the camera while also using flash on occasion.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

I found in review of the shots taken a personal preference for several significantly overexposed images, and will attempt to use the technique more in the future.

I'm intrigued by a computer program you might have an interest in, recommended by Kim Komando this week, that is free.

The Yellow-crowned Night-Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

The program allows the viewing of EXIF data (camera settings, time, date, etc.) of a JPEG image which I thought a neat idea.

It is not necessary when viewing my images at pbase as I let you see all that information if it interests you.

The Black-bellied Plover above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

I think a side benefit of the program which can be downloaded by clicking here allows you to keep EXIF data hidden which should be the right of the photographer.

The only information I think might best be discrete is that of the location of a shot to protect the subject.

The Snowy Egret juvenile above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

If a fellow photographer at pbase doesn't divulge their EXIF information, I typically won't review their work as I see half the enjoyment of an image in having a basic understanding of the creation of the shot before any post processing work.

The location of the shot should at least be generally noted for added interest of a wildlife image.

The White Ibis above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

GPS information in metadata is certainly not something to be overlooked if incorporated while a reviewer of the "snoop" program describes it as "great tool to inspect JPEG image[s]."

Back at the lagoon, it was fun to hear the call of a Great Blue Heron (not the most appealing of bird song) that is fairly uncommon to hear as are the calls of other larger birds in the area.

The Great Blue Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

The use of flash had no obvious impact on the behavior of the heron whatever nor has it on any bird I've photographed I'm quite sure.

I note this because of commentary I've heard that flash is frowned upon in bird photography.

The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

The story told to me which I mentioned not too many posts ago seems anomalous.

It was fun as well to observe a juvenile Reddish Egret show nesting behavior with vegetation picked out of the water and toyed with for about 30 seconds.

The Little Blue Heron above was photographed at Estero Lagoon in January 2011.

As the sun disappeared below the horizon, I was greeted with the moon rising toward the east with Roseate Spoonbill observed as a pair in flight in near darkness.

I had little trouble with reflection from the buildings which I recall Frank noting as a concern of his during afternoon photography at Estero Lagoon.

Friday, January 14, 2011

It has again been enjoyable photographing wildlife with Frank Constantin when I've been able.

The Limpkin above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

Frank has been visiting from Montreal, QC, where he noted a mild winter is taking place.

It's hard to believe that Florida was the only state within the United States not to have snow on its grounds this week, but true.

The Roseate Spoonbill above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

Frank and I met up at Harns Marsh Preserve on a morning this week that would unfold with the unexpected.

The sky was a bit overcast with high clouds to the east while early morning light was captured with its deep oranges in the marsh with great fortune.

The Snail Kite above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

While we chatted, a once in a lifetime opportunity unfolded with the approach of an American Bittern in flight.

I was able to track the bird, but the lens failed to focus as I was using other than a single focal point.

The Great Egret above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

Frank got the bird after it landed in a pose that is often seen in imagery of the species.

Shortly thereafter, a fellow visitor of the preserve named Jim Gibbons arrived to chat briefly before continuing on with a walk further into the offerings of the great wildlife venue.

The Snail Kite above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

Jim noted that he was visiting from New Hampshire while also commenting that he's been birding for about two years and has visited STA5 several times.

Jim told the story of observing an Ahinga at STA5 with two other enthusiasts at his side while each had a different interpretation of how the bird met its demise before their eyes.

The Blue-winged Teal above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

With the near start of baseball spring training, Jim is in town to do work for the Boston Red Sox as a security person of sorts I gathered.

I believe I made my first personal sighting of Lesser Scaup while Gayle Sheets notified me this week that my mid-November 2010 sighting of Redhead was added as the 144th bird species accounted for at Harns Marsh Preserve.

The Lesser Scaup above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

Another unexpected surprise at Harns Marsh Preserve were representatives of the United States Geological Survey that made an investigation of the preserve via airboat.

It seemed awkward for the men to make their apparent studies while flushing many bird species well ahead of them.

The scene above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

At the time of this writing, there is no reference to Harns Marsh Preserve at the USGS website.

I met up with Frank at Jason Verdow Memorial Park in Cape Coral later in the day to attempt to observe and photograph Monk Parakeets that I would see for the first time.

The Ring-necked Duck above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

Fellow local wildlife observer Tom Obrock has written of his sightings of this species numerous times yet I'm unsure where his favorite spot to view them is.

It was at the recommendation of work mate Rick Leuzinger to visit the park that Frank and I did.

The Osprey above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

When I told Rick that I saw a price of $300 for a Monk Parakeet on the internet, he jokingly told me, "Oh yeah, all you need is a really big net and you can make tons of money off them."

Regrettably the Monk Parakeet, or Quaker as Rick refers to them, is considered an invasive species.

The Bald Eagle above was photographed at Harns Marsh Preserve in January 2011.

The parakeets observed this week were readily seen in flight and nesting in the light towers at the park while the most notable characteristic were their vocal calls.

Another work mate named Margie Congregane who never shies away from talking about her Windjammer Resort and Beach Club vacations in Lauderdale By The Sea told me this week of a recently installed Beach Cam at the resort.

The Osprey above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

Margie interestingly commented about a man from Winnepeg, Canada, who was watching the webcam and observed a Brown Pelican in distress.

Margie told me that the man alerted Windjammer management who immediately responded to save the pelican with Windjammer now referring to the Canadian as the “Pelican Man.”

The White Ibis above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

It is now that I'm compelled to explain the title of this post as the coffee is brewing with hopes of getting my musings to you on schedule.

Normally I will immediately transfer images from the camera to the computer upon the return from a wildlife excursion, but in this case went through the multiple steps to erase the images in the camera and accidentally deleted them before the transfer.

The White Pelican above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

I was sure not to delete the images in the camera as the erasure of them was in progress.

Frank and I made one last attempt for good wildlife photography this week following through on his recommendation to visit Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge after his great success there the day before.

The Brown Pelican above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

Frank's images that he showed me on his camera's monitor were remarkable and yet certainly an injustice to what he will have at his pbase site once he gets home and processes his work.

I arrived at the refuge later than I told Frank I would be there allowing him the chance to make the trip along Wildlife Drive and pull up behind me near the entrance.

The Willet above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

The tide was lower than I have seen it at Ding Darling before which I think indicates excellent management of the refuge.

The birds were very prolific in variety and numbers, more so in fact than I've seen at this place before.

The Mottled Duck above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

I recently heard first hand the recommendation by renowned wildlife photographer Artie Morris to use a single focus point.

This advice relies on many factors including the camera you're using and the distance of your subject while I've found using a wider array of focus points more successful for me with the 1D Mark III (except when I'm tracking an inbound bittern).

The Osprey above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

I was actually much more concerned with the proper exposure of the difficult to photograph white birds at Ding Darling while the series of shots of the Osprey gathering nesting material may have greatly benefited from the single focus point.

The majority of time at DDNWR was spent adjacent to the north entrance of Indigo Trail.

The Double-crested Cormorant above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

It was at this spot that a very affable fellow introduced himself as John David.

John David told me that he was at the venue to take photographs for a story being written about the refuge for "the paper."

The Reddish Egret juvenile above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

He asked me a couple of questions while astutely remaining for some time to observe the remarkable wildlife before us.

The highlight of my experience this particular day was observing the Osprey that was diligently collecting nesting material.

The Wood Stork above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

The Belted Kingfisher that Frank has affectionately called the little bastard was occasionally present but failed to offer a really good photo op.

Frank and I mutually agreed on a more appropriate name for the species in reference to the challenge of getting a really nice image of it.

The Great Blue Heron above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

While I continue to shoot in JPEG, Frank and I were discussing that as one of the causes of less than favorable images while my typical use of the 1.4X teleconverter, and heavy crops were noted as attributable as well.

As I've used both Canon and Nikon photo gear, I express apologies for generically using terminology that refers to the same thing for the two brands while subconsciously favoring Nikon.

The Tricolored Heron above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

It was difficult to confirm John David's credentials and for which paper he works for, so am especially glad that he allowed me to take his photograph for the record.

For John David Emmett, staff photographer for the Fort Myers News Press, is an image of him below to accompany his name.

John David Emmett above was photographed at J. N. Ding Darling National Wildlife Refuge in January 2011.

The lingering effects of near frostbite of my fingers was felt until the end of the day.